Automatic food dispensing systems for animals are well known in the art. Most, however, are directed towards expensive and relatively complex apparatus for distributing feed to livestock, such as the apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,964,535, wherein a large hopper distributes the feed to a rapidly rotating distribution wheel which, in turn, dispenses feed to a trough from which livestock feed.
Other systems, such as the pet food dispenser disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,364, basically utilizes similar elements as detailed in the feeding apparatus of U.S. Pat. No. 4,964,535, but on a smaller scale and specifically adapted for feeding pets. Again, such systems use rapidly rotating distribution wheels for discharging feed through, for example, an elongated opening at the bottom of the housing of the dispenser.
On account of the high rotation of the distribution wheel in these prior art devices, many moving parts and gears are required, making these devices expensive to manufacture and maintain. Further, rapidly rotating distribution wheels are subject to wear as the food particles pass between the distribution wheels and the hopper delivering feed to such wheels. In the event that food particles jam between the distribution wheel and the hopper a great strain is placed on the motor used to rotate the distribution wheel causing the motor to overload and possibly burn out, requiring expensive repairs.
Moreover, it can be appreciated that rapidly rotating distribution wheels are not suitable for continuous day-to-day operation. Continuous use of such systems would strain the motors driving the distribution wheel resulting in eventual burn out. As a consequence, these prior art devices can only deliver feed through manual activation, or, if continuous day-to-day operation is required, complex switching mechanisms needed to periodically activate the motors to rapidly rotate the distribution wheel and stop same at the pre-selected times.
As a consequence, most pet owners who use feeding systems of the prior art activate these systems subject to the time available to the pet owner--this does not provide and maintain well metered and rhythmic schedule of feeding for the animal.